When I started these monthly summaries with Luna I promised myself I would do them for every child (if we decided to have more), no matter how busy I was. One day I will create a “first year” baby book for each of them from the words and photos that I put together every month. I know that my family and friends, near and far, appreciate them, so I will be posting them every month for Ludo too.

Those skinny little legs are already filling out, pounds are piling on, and limbs are stretching in length. Just like that Ludo isn't a newborn anymore, but a rapidly growing infant!

I was so worried that this first month would be a blur; that I wouldn't be able to remember anything at all, but it actually has been a bit of a stroll rather than a sprint. I already miss the newborn days with the little startle reflex and the long, long naps, but I love these more awake times too. I just want Ludo to take his time discovering the world around him, not be in too much of a rush to join his sisters in their boisterous games. I think that's a little bit too much to ask though, as he is already doing pushups, holding his head high and even trying to roll. Aurora was just the same, excited to play, not so keen on staying still and appreciating time. I suppose we only learn that appreciation as we get older!

I promised myself I wouldn't stand on the scales before my 6 week check up, but I wanted to weigh Ludo so it had to be done - and I'm very pleased with the results... It was a very different pregnancy to the others and I didn't put on a huge amount of weight anyway, and it's nearly all gone already. So we will slowly work back towards what I want it to be, which won't be too difficult. In any case, recovery and weight and all that haven't been an issue at all this time around and I'm very happy about that! I did learn a big lesson though... Just because you feel fine and because you have all the energy doesn't mean that you don't need rest! For the first time in my three plus years of breastfeeding one, two and now three children, I ended up with mastitis! And while I caught it early and got rid of it on one side it kept coming back on the other for a week. It seems to have gone for good now (fingers crossed), but I never thought one could get it if one was nursing around the clock. I guess a too tight bra and weeks (months? years??) of sleep deprivation can do that to you. Sleep isn't as overrated as I always say it is. It did give me the excuse to just cuddle with Ludo and even grab a nap here and there. Luckily my sister came to visit for a few weeks so she was able to step in and watch the girls a few times, and my mother made sure I didn't let it go on too long, bringing snacks and love and hugs with each visit. (I ended up not needing antibiotics, but I did make sure that it wasn't going too far to need them. Mastitis comes on super fast (within minutes in my case) and can get bad very rapidly.).

So anyway, I weighed Ludo a couple of days ago and he now weighs a whopping 12.4lbs (born at 8.13lbs)! I'm not too surprised as he eats round the clock - literally. He's going through a huge mental leap right now too, becoming more aware, and staying awake for longer. He smiled for the first time last week, while I was singing to him (I wonder why?!), a gurgle, a laugh, and then another smile. He also started cooing and grunting more, those adorable little noises that make your heart melt a thousand times. The other day a picture of Luna, taken three years ago when she was 4 months old, popped up on my phone, and I realised just how tiny she had been, of maybe how big Ludo is! I have him in three month clothes (he grew out of newborn sizes after the first week), and even in some 3-6 month ones, but he's swimming in those still. I'm so glad we basically got nearly everything at the thrift store or as generous hand me downs, because I feel like he will go through clothes sizes like mad. He's been quite happy hanging out in his carrier on walks, but the Sacramento summers make it a bit too hot to go for long walks before we are both dripping with sweat. So we now also have a little stroller for him too… Navigating walks by myself with two under two was always easy; it’s a little bit harder with three under four, especially as one (Aurora) still wants to run into the road without looking! That’s why I am looking forward to it getting a little cooler. Life is so much easier with an Ergo or Lillebaby or two strapped to you!

We moved literally a few days before Ludo was born, so everything is still a little in transition in the apartment, we are all still finding our bearings and I hover between moments where I want everything to be unpacked and hung up and sorted, and where I’m fine with us taking our time. The girls seem to have easily accepted the new home, their new little brother and their new “normal”, so that has been a relief. Nursing three children has been less of a challenge than I expected it to be, but I think I also learned a lot of lessons from when Aurora was born and made sure we set up a bedtime routine from day one. Most evenings I am by myself so it just makes life easier when we stick to a routine. We are lucky that Ludo, like his sisters, loves to be bathed, so he gets a bath in the sink while his sisters play in the tub, and I’m sure the neighbours love hearing them run around like maniacs in their superhero towels after their bath (the girls, not Ludo, he’s not at that point yet!). Of course there are days, and nights, where all three kids want something at the same time, and I’m exhausted and hungry because I haven’t had a chance to eat my cold food or drink my much-needed coffee, but I still manage to fit that most important shower in every day, even if I rely on dry shampoo more days than I like to admit. But all in all we are all very happy. We get to see Cesar for a bit between his two jobs now that we live downtown, and there are so many places for us to explore and walk to, which makes me very happy.

Ludo’s next check up will be around the two month mark, where he will be getting his first round of shots, and we will see how much he has grown again. I have to go and pick up his birth certificate (it’s not mailed to you like it was in New York), and we also need to go out for a proper meal altogether and see how we get on. We’ve done coffee shops and the park and long walks, but no sit down restaurant dinner as a family of five yet. Something to look forward to (or dread, depending on how the kids are feeling when we decide to go!). I’m doing my best to document as much as I can with photos, especially shots of all of the kids together as I feel like those moments are fleeting and will be harder to capture as time goes by. In the meantime Luna is pretty obsessed with her little brother and constantly asks me to take photos of them together, and I have finally convinced Aurora to join them! I’m looking forward to seeing what the next month has to bring us… In the meantime I will cuddle all of my children close as much as I can and continue to take every day as it comes, and enjoy everything as much as I can!